Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Of social justice and more

September 24, 2020

Last week was a momentous one. US lost one of its towering legal personalities, Ruth Bater Ginsburg. We all know Ginsburg as the leader of the liberal bloc in US Supreme Court. But to me, what is more interesting is how she got there. As the Chief Justice John Roberts put it in his speech commemorating her death - Justice Ginsburg’s life was one of the many versions of the American dream. Her father was an immigrant from Odessa. Her mother was born four months after her family arrived from Poland. Her mother later worked as a bookkeeper in Brooklyn.

Long before Ginsburg became the second woman to serve on the US Supreme Court, she was an accomplished lawyer and a champion of women's rights. She fought many a courtroom battle and shaped the legal discourse in a way that few people in the country did. Two things stand out for me:

She always stood for certain principles and fought hard for them. You may not align to her views on everything, but you can never ignore her because of her principled stand.

She was always open to see the other point of view. If you look at her record, you will see that she voted with the supposedly conservative justices in many many occasions. Yes, judging by the merit of the case is the minimum you would expect from a judge, but she carried this trait all her life.

Something to emulate for all of us!

Now coming to less weighty subjects :)

In the biggest mortgage news of the week, United Wholesale Mortgage announced that it will go public. But rather than doing a traditional IPO, they are doing it through a Spac. What is a Spac? To me, Spac is when you want to do an IPO but want to do it with your PE friends. But you can getting a more accurate definition here.

Credible published an excellent article on the credit score you need for different types of mortgage loans and the interest rate you can expect at different credit scores. Did you know that a VA loan does not need any minimum credit score?

If you are a business owner, you want to know about non-QM loans. This category took a big hit because of Covid, but it is bouncing back. What is a non-QM loan, you ask? Read on.

Lot of times my friends ask me - is it better to approach a bank directly for a loan or to go to a mortgage broker. I have come across an excellent article that addresses that. Check it below. I think now onwards, i will just redirect my friends to this link.

Do you know about MBA's Open Doors Foundation? Through its Home Grant Program, it provides housing payment relief in times of personal crisis. The Foundation kicked off its 2021 Fundraising Season. Check it out.

Adios!

US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a trailblazer to women of all stripes.

The credit score you need for a home loan is probably lower than you think.

During the early days of the coronavirus recession, the market for “non-qualified mortgages” ground to a halt. In recent months, however, non-QM loans have returned as an option for gig workers, business owners and other self-employed borrowers who don’t qualify for mainstream mortgages.

Mortgage brokers help you find the best home loan for your needs. Learn about the pros of working with a mortgage broker and how to find the right one.

Committed to helping families around the country stay in their homes while a child is being treated for a critical illness or injury, the Mortgage Bankers Association established the MBA Opens Doors Foundation to help families in need meet their mortgage and rental obligations.